Don't Print Until You Read This!

ameliaprintdesign
May 4
2 min read

The Definitive Insider's Guide to Ordering Print Materials

If you're getting ready to order business cards, flyers, banners, or other printed materials, you might be wondering: "Where do I start? What details do I need to have ready?"

At Amelia Print + Design, we try to make the process easy and stress-free — but a little preparation goes a long way in helping your project move even faster and turn out exactly the way you imagine. Here are a few important things to know before placing your next print order!

Tips for Preparing Your Design for Print

If you're sending us your own design files, here are a few important things to know:

Use the Right Color Mode: CMYK

Print shops use CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black) for full-color printing — not RGB (which is for screens). If you design in RGB, colors can shift unexpectedly when printed.

Tip: Start your design in CMYK mode for more accurate color results!

Set Up Full Bleed Properly

If your design has color or images that go all the way to the edge (no white borders), you’ll need to set up a full bleed.

Bleed is extra space (usually 1/8 inch on all sides) added around the edges.
Important text and logos should stay at least 1/8–1/4 inch inside the finished size (called the “safe zone”) so they don’t get trimmed off.

Example: For a 3.5" x 2" business card, your design file should actually be 3.75" x 2.25" with bleed.

Choose High-Quality File Types

To get the best print quality, send us files in these formats whenever possible:

PDF (preferred — preserves fonts, colors, and layout)
AI (Adobe Illustrator)
EPS (vector format)
High-resolution JPEG or PNG (only if it’s set to 300 dpi, with a transparent background if needed)

Low-resolution or web images (72 dpi) can look blurry when printed — we recommend 300 dpi (dots per inch) for professional results.

Double-Check Fonts and Spelling

Before you send your file:

Make sure any fonts are either outlined (in vector files) or embedded (in PDFs).
Always proofread carefully — it's easy to miss small typos, and we want your print to look its absolute best!

Ready to Print?

Whether you're starting from scratch or you know exactly what you want, Amelia Print + Design is here to help at every step. From design to material choices to final printing, we make sure you get a finished product that you’re proud to share.

📞 Give us a call, or send us a message — and let's make something amazing together!